Best Online Colleges in Arkansas of 2023

Arkansas State University Online, better known as A-State Online, is one of the oldest and most well-established online degree programs in Arkansas. You can choose from over 35 degree programs to complete on your own time, and your degree is of the same caliber as A-State's respected on-campus programs. A-State Online's degree and certificate programs are highly career-oriented, representing the most in-demand specializations in education, business, engineering, technology, health care, and more. The curriculum is built on the latest industry trends so that as soon as you graduate, you can put your degree or certificate to use on the job market of today and tomorrow.

University of Arkansas Online (U of A Online) offers the same high-quality degree programs as you'll find on campus. The bachelor's degrees are especially strong and have earned several national accolades. For instance, in 2022, Newsweek ranked U of A No. 11 in the nation, and U.S. News and World Report ranked its online bachelor's degrees No. 24 in the entire country. You can choose among over a dozen majors, including Communication, Interdisciplinary Studies, Accounting, Supply Chain Management, Educational Studies, and Human Resource and Workforce Development Education, among others. Also, you can pair your major with a minor in specialized fields like Journalism, African and African American Studies, and Accounting for Non-Business Majors, to name just a few.

University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UA Little Rock) meets you where you are and provides you with the support services you need to complete your degree - "finish strong." As a UA Little Rock remote student, you get full access to all the university's academic resources, including the Ottenheimer Library, Blackboard Support, Online Writing Lab, and the Military Student Success Center. This support goes a long way to helping you navigate your way through virtual learning and making steady progress toward your degree. You also benefit from affordable online tuition rates of $280 per undergraduate credit hour and $383 per graduate credit hour, with no additional fees. If you're a veteran or military service member, you'll get discounted tuition rates, making your degree even more affordable.

Harding University is a private Christian institution that infuses intellectual growth with spiritual and faith-based development. The school offers a range of master's degrees completely online, including Master in Business Administration, Master of Science in Information Systems (MSIS), Master of Arts in Christian Education Leadership (MCEL), and Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL). If you have a bachelor's degree and are looking for a master's degree in a marketable field with a curriculum rooted in Christian values and doctrine, then Harding may work well for you. Other master's-level options include Master of Science In Kinesiology and Sports Administration, Master of Divinity, and MSN-Family Nurse Practitioner, though these and several other degrees require some on-campus modules.

Like Harding, John Brown University (JBU) is a Christian institution that builds a Christ-centered community that teaches not just academic disciplines but also deep spiritual growth and service to others. John Brown is also a good value: in 2022, Money ranked JBU No. 1 Best Value among private universities in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Texas, and Colorado. You can choose degrees in fields like Business, Cybersecurity, Psychology, and Education, among others. Woven into these degrees is a focus on Christian theology and worldview, so if you're looking for a career-oriented education with a firm grounding in Christianity, then JBU's offerings might be a good fit.

University of Central Arkansas's (UCA) motto is "Your Experience. Your Way." The school makes that possible by providing a high-quality, customizable education at an affordable price. If you're admitted into an approved fully online undergraduate degree program, you pay a flat-rate tuition of $285 per credit hour regardless of residency or location. As a remote graduate student, you pay a flat-rate tuition of $325 per credit hour, wherever you live. But when choosing an online degree program it is good to focus not just on cost, but also on value. At UCA, you can select a respected bachelor's, master's, or even doctoral degree program for a fraction of the cost of other online degrees.

Arkansas Tech University offers 39 flexible and affordable online programs to choose from, many of which are highly customizable and/or in unique fields. You can earn anything from a technical certificate or education endorsement to an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree. Some of the unique specializations include Banking Services, Business Technology-Human Resources Management Option, Emergency Management and Administration, and Student Affairs Administration, among many others. If you major in a field like Organizational Leadership, you can choose from a range of concentrations in unique subfields such as Agriculture Business, Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and Child Development. Concentrations and unique major options enable you to customize your learning path and choose a degree that's suited to your passions and goals.

Ouachita Baptist University is, as its name indicates, a Baptist school that teaches from a Baptist Christian worldview. As an undergraduate student, you can choose from degrees in Christian Studies, Interdisciplinary Studies, Organizational Leadership, and Nursing. Courses are taught in an eight-week format, which enables you to quickly start accumulating credits to put toward your degree. If you have already earned some college credits, you can take advantage of Ouachita's generous transfer credit policies by enrolling in one of the two online degree completion programs: Interdisciplinary Studies or RN-to-BSN. And if you haven't yet earned an associate degree, you can start from square one in the Christian Studies or Organizational Leadership bachelor's degree programs.

Southern Arkansas University (SAU) offers degrees and certificates in many different fields, and its biggest strength is business programs. The joint BBA/MBA 4+1 program enables you to earn a bachelor's and master's degree on an accelerated timeline. If you already have an associate degree, you can enroll in SAU's Management 2+2 degree completion program, and if you're looking for an online business certificate, the Business Leadership Certificate could help you advance your career. But if it's an MBA you're interested in, you can add a unique concentration through an Agri-Business Emphasis, Business Leadership Emphasis, Data Analytics Emphasis, Social Entrepreneurship Emphasis, or Supply Chain Management Emphasis.

The motto of Henderson State University's (HSU) online programs is "Start Earlier. Finish Faster." HSU Online makes this possible through a range of accelerated online degree programs that feature seven-week courses and multiple start times per year. Whenever you want to begin making progress toward your degree, you can start swiftly and easily at HSU. In addition to accelerated MBA programs with concentrations in Accounting, Aviation Management, Data Science, Engineering Management, or Management, HSU also offers certificate programs in Project Management and Supply Chain Management. Using HSU's accelerated options, you can complete your MBA in as little as 14 months or a certificate in nine months. You can quickly put your new credentials to use on the job market or in your current career.